Automobile Accidents Archives - Nichols Zauzig

Ray Sworn in as President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

Katie McGee — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:47:12 +0000

Ray being sworn in as VTLA 2026-2027 President

Melissa Ray has been sworn in as President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association (VTLA) for the 2026 term, a distinguished leadership role within one of the Commonwealth’s most respected legal organizations. In this position, Ray will help guide VTLA’s ongoing mission to protect and strengthen Virginia’s civil justice system and advocate for the rights of injured individuals and families.

Ray has been an active leader within VTLA for many years, holding multiple leadership positions and contributing to key initiatives that support trial lawyers across the state. Reflecting on her new role, she emphasized the importance of collaboration and continued engagement within the organization: “We recognize and we know that keeping new lawyers engaged in VTLA is really the only way our association is going to survive and thrive in the future.”

Her presidency reflects not only her professional accomplishments but also her dedication to mentorship, advocacy, and advancing the legal profession.

Ray focuses her practice on medical malpractice and personal injury, representing patients and families – particularly children affected by serious injuries – with skill, compassion, and a strong record of results. Her work has earned widespread recognition within the legal community. Virginia Lawyers Weekly named her a 2024 Go-To Medical Malpractice Lawyer and previously honored her as part of the Class of 2023 Leaders in the Law. She was also selected to the publication’s 2021 Influential Women in Law list, which recognizes attorneys for excellence in their work, service to the profession, and commitment to their communities.

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Six Nichols Zauzig attorneys honored by 2025 Best Lawyers in America

Maureen — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 20:46:28 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. We also congratulate Matthew Davis for being selected by his peers for the 2025 Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

In addition, Mr. Zauzig has been recognized as the 2025 D.C. region’s Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs. This is the seventh time Mr. Zauzig has been named as Lawyer of the Year for either Medical Malpractice Law or Personal Injury Litigation by Best Lawyers®.

Mr. Zauzig and Mr. Nichols have each been recognized annually since 2006. Mr. Zauzig is included for both Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation. Mr. Nichols is recognized for Family Law, as is Ms. Chin, for the sixth consecutive year.

Ms. Keena, selected by Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation since 2021, earned the honor again for 2025. Ms. Ray has been selected for the fourth consecutive year for Medical Malpractice Law. Mr. Davis has been honored by Best Lawyers for inclusion in the “Ones to Watch” since 2023.

Best Lawyers in America is an annually released peer review guide to the legal profession. For more details on methodology and the selection process, visit www.bestlawyers.com.

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Ray named Go-To Med Mal Lawyer by Virginia Lawyers Weekly

Maureen — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 18:16:19 +0000

We are pleased to congratulate Melissa G. Ray, a partner with Nichols Zauzig, for being named as a Go-To Medical Malpractice Lawyer by Virginia Lawyers Weekly for 2024. The attorneys were nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from Lawyers Weekly.

Honored as a member of the Class of 2023 Leaders in the Law, Ray was also named an “Influential Woman in the Law” in 2021 by Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Ray has also earned regular mentions in Lawyers Weekly for million-dollar settlements and some of the state’s largest verdicts over the last 15 years.

The George Mason graduate has developed a niche representing plaintiffs in birth injury and trauma matters, requiring a depth of knowledge in OBGYN practices and procedures, and she’s become known for her ability to successfully establish non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases.

Ray has been asked to speak at numerous conferences and in CLEs on medical expert testimony and trial preparation techniques, as well as other issues. A graduate of the American Association for Justice’s Leadership Academy, she is a vice president of the executive council for the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and a member of the invitation-only Boyd-Graves Conference.

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Zauzig named 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury by Best Lawyers®

Maureen — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:12:54 +0000

Chuck Zauzig has been named the 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs in the Washington D.C. region by Best Lawyers®. It is the sixth time Mr. Zauzig has been recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers. In 2019 and 2014 he was also recognized in this category. He was “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice Law-Plaintiffs in 2018, 2016 and 2011.

Only one lawyer in each practice area and metropolitan area is honored annually as the “Lawyer of the Year” by receiving the highest overall voting averages and peer feedback in that specialty and location, according to Best Lawyers®.

Chuck has also been ranked among Virginia’s Top 3 Super Lawyers in 2021 and in the Top 10 in 2022 and 2020, regardless of practice area. He was featured as the 2020 cover story of Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine.

Chuck is a nationally recognized advocate for victims and their families whose lives are devastated because someone else was careless. He focuses on serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Many of Chuck’s cases have been among Virginia’s Annual Largest Million-Dollar Verdicts or Settlements listings published by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. A former President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Chuck is a fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to the top 1% of lawyers in any state or province of North America.

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6 Nichols Zauzig Partners Honored by Best Lawyers® for 2024

Maureen — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 22:17:52 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. We also congratulate Mike Hollingsworth for being selected by his peers for the 2024 Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

Ms. Keena, selected by Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation since 2021, earned the honor again for 2024. Ms. Ray has been selected for the second consecutive year for Medical Malpractice Law. Mr. Hollingsworth has been honored by Best Lawyers for inclusion in the “Ones to Watch” for the third year.

Best Lawyers in America is an annually released peer review guide to the legal profession. For more details on methodology and the selection process, visit www.bestlawyers.com.

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Nichols Zauzig Recognized Among Largest Law Firms in Virginia

Maureen — Tue, 30 May 2023 15:21:36 +0000

Nichols Zauzig is pleased to be named as one of the largest law firms in Virginia, according to Virginia Lawyers Weekly. The 2023 survey of “Virginia’s Largest Law Firms” is based on the number of Virginia-licensed lawyers practicing from an office located within the commonwealth.

Nichols Zauzig is also a Tier One Best Law Firm in America and has been since 2010, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. The firm qualifies in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice/Personal Injury and Family Law.

Located in Woodbridge, Virginia, Nichols Zauzig was founded in 1989 by Chuck Zauzig and Paul Nichols who have since earned some of the highest accolades in the practice of law. Other attorneys include: Partners Cassandra Chin, Melissa Ray, Claire Keena and Mike Hollingsworth; and Associates Melanie Rice, Andrew Taylor and Randell Scism.

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Zauzig among Top 100 Virginia Super Lawyers

Maureen — Tue, 23 May 2023 18:31:17 +0000

Chuck Zauzig was recently ranked among the Top 100 of all 2023 Virginia Super Lawyers®, regardless of practice area.

Chuck has been a Super Lawyer since 2006 and ranked among the Top 3 in 2021 and in the Top 10 in 2022 and 2020. He was featured as the 2020 cover story of Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine. Super Lawyers® rates lawyers from 70 practice areas who have a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Many of Chuck’s cases have been among Virginia’s Annual Largest Million-Dollar Verdicts or Settlements listings published by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. A former President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Chuck is a fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to the top 1% of lawyers in any state or province of North America.

He was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association in 2017 and, for his commitment to legal teaching and training, the Southern Trial Lawyers awarded Chuck with the Professor W. McKinley Lighthouse award in 2013. Chuck has been included in the Washingtonian Top Lawyers listing annually since 2007.

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Zauzig honored as Virginia Go To Medical Malpractice Lawyer for 2023

Maureen — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:40:10 +0000

Chuck Zauzig has been recognized as a 2023 Go To Medical Malpractice Lawyer by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. He joins a group of 20 leading plaintiff and defense lawyers nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from Lawyers Weekly.

A fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers, Chuck has also been honored as Lawyer of the Year-Plaintiffs in the D.C. area five times by Best Lawyers®. He is repeatedly named among the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Virginia, including the Top Three in 2021. Chuck was featured as the 2020 cover story of Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine.

As a past president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, (VTLA) Chuck remains active on the advocacy front. He currently chairs VTLA’s political action committee. The organization honored him with the Distinguished Service Award in 2017. He is also a past recipient of the Professor W. McKinley Lighthouse Award from the Southern Trial Lawyers Association for his commitment to legal teaching and training. Since 2007, Chuck has been included every year in the Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Lawyers listing.

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5 Nichols Zauzig Partners Named Best Lawyers® for 2023

Maureen — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 22:48:55 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

Also recognized in Family Law is Ms. Chin, who has been honored since 2020. Ms. Keena has been named to Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation and Ms. Ray for Medical Malpractice Law.

According to the Best Lawyers 2023 magazine, 13 million peer evaluations were completed for nominated attorneys across the U.S and 75 other countries around the world in 148 practice areas. From that process, 129,518 attorneys in total were recognized, including 3,362 in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

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Zauzig among Top 10 Virginia Super Lawyers for 2022

Maureen — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 16:34:50 +0000

Chuck Zauzig was recently ranked among the Top 10 of all 2022 Virginia Super Lawyers®, regardless of practice area.

In 2020 and 2021, he was also among the Top 10, including in the Top Three in 2021. Chuck was featured as the 2020 cover story of Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine. He has been a Super Lawyer since 2006 and in the Top 100 repeatedly since then. Super Lawyers® rates lawyers from 70 practice areas who have a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

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